Detectives at the Lagos State police command were stunned as a painter, Moses Olaitan, narrated how he duped a woman he met on Facebook a sum of N51 million by impersonating a traditional ruler, Oba Saheed Elegushi, the Elegushi of Ikateland.
Olaitan said he committed the crime in connivance with Segun Omoshola, who aided him to open a Facebook account in the name of respected monarch..
“I impersonated Oba Saheed Elegushi on Facebook and used his pictures. She connected with me online and said she wanted to marry a king and we started from there. I told her that if she wanted to marry a king, she needs to do some cultural activities and she agreed.
“She told me to send my account number, but because I didn’t have an account number, I contacted Segun, who provided the account used for collecting the money. I was paid N2.5 million and it was when I was brought to the command that I got to know that what she paid was N51 million”, he said while being paraded along with his accomplice on Thursday by the Lagos State commissioner of police, Hakeem Odumosu.
“The police arrested me by tracking my cousin’s mobile number; I was making arrangements for my birthday when the police arrested me”, he further disclosed.
His partner in crime, 48-year-old Omoshola, also told his role in the scam, saying Olaitan introduced him to the woman.
“I took him to those who provided the account used in collecting the money from the woman and I collected N3.5 million. I was shocked when I heard that the money was N51million”, he said.
The police said the pair was arrested through intensive tracking three months after the crime was committed.
